1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing device used in a device like a server which constructs a network together with one or plural computers, and relates to a recovery method of this information processing device. In particular, it relates to an information processing device which is connectable to a network including one or plural computers and gives information to a client of the computer or the computers in the network in accordance with a requirement of the client, and relates to a recovery method thereof. Furthermore, it relates to an information processing device which has a plurality of starting modes and makes it possible to perform processing including restoration and update of a system, and relates to a recovery method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A server offering a service through a network is an information processing device which constructs a network together with one or plural computers namely one or plural clients receiving an offer of the service, performs communication with a client, and offers a service required by the client. A high-speed communication line of the ISDN (Integrated Services Digital network), the ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) contained within the xDSL (x Digital Subscriber Line), cable TV internet connection and so on is rapidly spread, and a construction of network in respect to a plurality of stand-alone computers provided in a home is rapidly increasing. Under an environment like this, a server which constructs a network together with a plurality of computers and gives necessary information to a client of a computer in the network is an indispensable information processing device in order to construct the network.
In an information processing device like a server mentioned above, the present invention is a technique connected with information processing which has a plurality of starting modes and thereby can easily perform various processes including update of a system and restorative operation at the time of a system failure.
By the way, when a failure has occurred in a computer, there are cases in which revision is performed by reinstalling a system program. In this case, as a manner, a CD-ROM for recovery use and so on are prepared, and a reinstallation is performed by starting from the CD-ROM. As a manner performing a boot via a network, the PXE (Preboot execution Environment) exists. The PXE provides no more than a quasi-starting disc by referring to a server existing on the network.
In addition, the manner using the CD-ROM for recovery use needs a CD-ROM drive in a system side of a restorative object in addition to the CD-ROM for recovery use. However, the server does not need an input unit like a keyboard and a display unit like a CRT display, and the server does not have the CD-ROM drive. Therefore, the manner using the CD-ROM is unsuitable for restoration of the server. The manner performing a boot via a network utilizes only the network as a virtual drive, and a load of a device side providing a system becomes larger because a special-purpose program and so on are needed. Furthermore, in case of performing update of a system, if the update of the system is tried to perform after starting the system of an update object, update of a core namely a portion of a basic software is difficult.
In respect to an information processing device such as a server, techniques connected with rewriting and starting of a program are disclosed in the following patent documents, for example.                (1) The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.10-283172 “FLASH ROM DATA REWRITE SYSTEM”        (2) The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2001-228938 “REMOTE STARTING METHOD”        (3) The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.8-179937 “DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SWITCHING BOOT PROGRAM”        (4) The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2001-100983 “CONTROL METHOD OF COMPUTER, COMPUTER, AND RECORDING MEDIUM”        (5) The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2001-202159 “ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, DATA DELETING METHOD AND STORAGE MEDIUM”        (6) The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2000-295142 “SELF-DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE”        (7) The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2002-123400 “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING, COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM AND PROGRAM”        
The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.10-283172 relates to a flash ROM data rewrite system for rewriting a program in a flash ROM with the flash ROM mounted on a substrate. In this flash ROM data rewrite system, an extended CPU board is connected to a host computer via an expansion bus. The extended CPU board comprises CPU, a flash ROM storing a starting program and so on, a first gate controlling a connection between the CPU and the flash ROM, a second gate controlling a connection between the host computer and the flash ROM, and a CPU starting mode switch circuit switching the first and second gates. If a modification arises in the starting program, the connection between the CPU and the flash ROM is interrupted by closing the first gate, the host computer and the flash ROM are connected by opening the second gate, and thereby a program write mode is set. Under this state, by writing a program into the flash ROM from the host computer, the modification of the starting program is performed without removing the flash ROM from the substrate. According to a constitution like this, the extended CPU board must be setup separate from the host computer, hardware mentioned above must be provided on the extended CPU board, and the CPU starting mode switch circuit and the first and second gates must be provided on the extended CPU board. Because of this, a necessary constitution and control for rewriting a program become complicated. Furthermore, a plurality of starting modes are not provided, and update of a system and restorative operation at the time of a system failure can not be performed with ease, either.
The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2001-228938 discloses a remote starting method for performing a remote power control of a device (a personal computer or a server) from a remote place via a network. In this remote starting method, a plurality of boot files are created and stored in an auxiliary memory in advance, and whether or not a remote start packet and an extended packet are received under an OFF state of power supply is decided. If these are received, a boot file is selected from the auxiliary memory, and the device is started in a maintenance mode. If these are not received, a boot file is selected from the auxiliary memory, and the device is started in a normal mode. According to a constitution like this, update of a system and restorative operation at the time of a system failure can not be performed with ease.
The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.8-179937 discloses a device and method for switching a boot program. In this invention, boot programs are stored in a plurality of program ROMs respectively, and a CPU is started by these boot programs. According to a constitution like this, in a CPU system having a plurality of boot program fields, a boot program field can be changed and nothing more. Therefore, update of a system and restorative operation at the time of a system fault can not be performed.
The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2001-100983 discloses a control method of a computer, a computer and a recording medium. In this invention, under the state that a first OS (Operating System) is working on a computer, information for making a second OS boot is acquired under control of the first OS, and this information is written in a main memory. Then, the second OS is made to boot on the computer based on a detection of an end of the first OS. According to a constitution like this, if the first OS can not be started due to a failure of the first OS, the information for making the second OS boot can not be acquired under the control of the first OS. Therefore, there is a problem that working of the second OS becomes difficult.
The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2001-202159 discloses an electronic equipment, a data deleting method and a storage medium. The electronic equipment has a starting mode setting means and a writable nonvolatile data storage means. The starting mode setting means selects one starting mode from a plurality of starting modes, and the writable nonvolatile data storage means memorizes data corresponding to a starting mode set by the starting mode setting means. In this electronic equipment, data of partition corresponding to the starting mode selected by the starting mode setting means is eliminated by an elimination means. According to a constitution like this, an operator can eliminate the data of the partition corresponding to the selected starting mode. However, this does not make it possible to perform update of a system and restorative operation at the time of a system fault.
The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2000-295142 discloses a self-diagnostic device. This discloses only a detection of restoration of an obstacle occurring in a transmission line between one's own device and an opposite device and a decision of the restoration. According to a constitution like this, although reliability between one's own device and the opposite device can be improved, this can not be utilized for facilitating update of a system and restorative operation at the time of a system failure in an information processing device such as a server.
The Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No.2002-123400 relates to a method and a system for transferring, a computer-readable medium and a program, and discloses a method for transferring a network boot. This discloses that a boot strap is offered and acquired via a network, and nothing more. According to a constitution like this, as mentioned above, since the network is utilized as a virtual drive, a special-purpose program and soon are needed, and a load of a device side providing a system becomes larger.